Re: NASA Targets June Launch for Space Shuttle Atlantis

I agree.  I think winged spacecraft are inherently bad for two reasons:

1.  The termal protection is fragile and complex.
2.  The weather requirements for ascent aborts and end of mission landing
are too high

I am a big fan of capsules for manned spacecraft.  Send the big payloads up
without people in a winged vehicle.  Wasn't Challanger carrying a TDRS?  Why
risk life to send up a payload such as this?

Danny Deger

Ironically, the very capabilities that made the STS so attractive to begin
with is leading to it's demise.  I think the Shuttle is a classic example
of how any system can become too complicated to manage effectively or
efficiently.

George

Op Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:18:29 -0700, schreef Hyper:

Unless of course when a real rescue flight must be done.

Are you sure?

Unfortunately, the requirement for a rescue flight also means we'll
never see two shuttles in orbit at the same time.
THAT would be a publicity stunt I'd love to watch.

John Doe <jdoe@doe.org> wrote in news:89322$461d7eca$cef8887a$28578
@TEKSAVVY.COM:

LON rescue flight capability. The next orbiter won't be ready in time to
rescue 118 if Endeavour launches that early. That's the reality with a
three orbiter fleet as long as LON capability is a program requirement.

Unless the decision to extend the Shuttle's graveyard 2010 deadline has
already been taken (secretly) NASA cannot afford to postpone launches by
months.

Wasnt 118 supposed to go in late June ?

What would prevent NASA from launching Atlantis on june 8th and
Endeavour at end of June ?

April 10, 2007

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4769

Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: 07-83

NASA TARGETS JUNE LAUNCH FOR SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

WASHINGTON - NASA is targeting June 8 as the next possible launch
opportunity for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-117 mission to the
International Space Station.

Tuesday's decision by agency management followed a meeting that
reviewed the progress in repairing insulating foam on the shuttle's
external fuel tank, which was damaged during a sudden hail storm Feb.
26 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. That damage required
engineers to repair approximately 2,660 sites on the tank.

The meeting also included an assessment of using the repaired
external
tank for the STS-117 mission versus swapping to one that arrived last
week from the manufacturing plant in New Orleans. Managers decided to
finish repairs to Atlantis' current tank and use it for STS-117. The
tank that arrived Friday will be prepared for space shuttle
Endeavour's STS-118 mission to the space station and now is targeted
for launch in August.

"The workforce has done an amazing job of assessing and repairing the
tank so far, but the sheer volume of repairs dictates moving the
launch target to June," said Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne
Hale.

June 8 is the opening of the next available launch window for
Atlantis
to go to the station. STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee
Archambault and mission specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester,
Steven Swanson and John "Danny" Olivas will continue training at
NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. During the 11-day mission, the
astronauts will work with the station crew and ground teams to
install a new, girder-like truss segment, unfold a new set of solar
arrays and retract one array on the starboard side of the station.

For more information about the STS-117 crew and mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-